Gordon Oliver, Mayor of Torbay, recently cut the turf to start the building of the College’s Energy Centre, based on the Whiterock Business Park. You can see the new building on the roundabout next to the Premier Inn at the top of Long Road and we aim to have a web cam so we can all see the progress of the new build between now and July when the building is due to be finished.
The new Centre is funded through a combination of European Regional Development Fund, Regional Growth Fund and Skills Funding Agency contributions, as well as the College’s internal funds. We have a target of 400 new private sector jobs and aim to position the Centre as a hub for low carbon and renewables related businesses – both new and old – to set up and thrive.
Mayor Gordon Oliver cuts the turf for South Devon College’s new Energy Centre
L to R: Eifion Jones (DCLG), Kevin Mowat (Chair of Governors), Stephen Criddle (Principal), Jenny Aughton (Electrical Installation student), Rhys Morrallee (Plumbing student), Joseph Valenti (Plumbing student), Corey O’Connor (Plumbing student), Peter Davies (Plumbing student), Layla Adaci (Student Union President), Lewis Cooke (Plumbing student), Ryan Higgins (Electrical Installation student), Robert Evans (Plumbing student), Rob Procter (Learning Support Technician, Plumbing), Eliot Nyman (Electrical Installation student), Gordon Oliver (Mayor of Torbay)
The new building will contain:
o A construction hall containing two full size single storey houses and a dedicated sustainable construction area, all of which will be available to visitors to the Centre, as well as allowing all weather, year-round training and demonstrations.
o A plant room which will be used to demonstrate low carbon and sustainable technology in action as it runs the building
o Incubation and innovation space for businesses
o Near market R&D facilities
o A meeting and seminar room
o Flexible training and teaching spaces
o Accessible roof space to demonstrate solar PV and solar thermal in action
o A green roof to encourage and support biodiversity and help manage draining and water consumption
o A café open to the public.
Building starts on new
Energy Centre
South West Energy Centre
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